Cocoa And Chocolate
The Tree, The Bean The Beverage

CHAPTER II DESCRIPTION OF THE CACAO TREE, ITS FLOWERS AND FRUIT The cacao plantation might be described as a tropical orchard. It resembles an orchard in that it contains trees, planted at more or less regulär intervals, of about 15 ft. to 25 ft. in height, that is about as tall as, or a little taller than, our fruit trees. The resemblance does not go much further ; here and there in the cacao plantation a huge tree towers above the cacao trees, as one may imagine oaks towering above the apples. The curious reason for having these giant trees will be explained later when cultivation is discussed. If one thinks of an English orchard one may picture the black straggling branches against a November sky, or the brief pink and white glory of the blossoming boughs in the spring sunlight, or the ripe fruit hanging in the leafy tree on. a summer’s day. The cacao plantation is in all seasons like an orchard in summer time, in that all the year round the fruit may be seen hanging on the tree, the branches of which are thickly covered with dark-green leaves. The leaves are sufficiently large and numerous to act as an almost perfect screen to the fierce tropical sun, and one steps with grateful feelings from the too brilliant sunshine outside to the cool shade under the cacao trees. The winter aspect of our orchards is nevet seen with cacao trees, save when. they have been. denuded by the wind, and then they soon become covered. with young flaccid leaves through which the light shows red. At no time do cacao flowers make a brave show like our apple blossom ; they are very small 4